TellersQuest: 4. Amateur thief

1. "Did you get what I asked for?" a voice snapped from the shadows. The old woman must have heard her enter. "Yes, Auntie. No problem."

2. Blast! She'd hoped to slip by unnoticed. "Bring it 'ere!" Auntie wasn't to be trifled with. The crone spat violently as An approached.

3. The woman snatched An's wrist in a vice-like grip and twisted it till An screamed. "Don't mess with me!" And she grabbed the pendant.

4. An fell to the floor as the woman shoved her back. "Go to your room and stay there!" An slunk away swallowing her anger and planned.

5. Auntie? Bah! The hag wasn't family. Even if she insisted on being called so for appearance's sake. An channelled her anger into schemes.

6. She nursed her arm. It wasn't the 1st time. The weal on her wrist went way back. No point complaining, she was stuck with the situation.

7. Ever since mother'd fallen ill & died, she'd lived with 'Auntie'. She didn't even know the crone's real name. An wasn't her name either.

8. She squatted a cramped corner of a crowded attic. Weaving her way through the chaos she finally reached her sanctuary: a lumpy mattress.

9. Dejected? On the contrary! The fleeting meeting with the girls had stimulated her. She chuckled remembering their surprise as she fled.

10. How did Auntie know about the pendant? Its value intrigued An. Could the gold alone be worth the risk? There must be more at stake.

11. She rifled through the remains littered on her bed in search of a scrap to eat. Futile effort; rats had gnawed the place to the bone.

12. She'd have to await her guardian's afternoon nap before pilfering the kitchen. Next time she was forced to steal she'd nick food too.

13. A majestic tree planted on a hilltop delicately wrought in gold, the thought made her shiver, something wasn't in tune with the pendant.

14. Stirring from a nap, she stretched cat-like and crept to the floors below. Tidy and roomy unlike her attic. Well lit and aired too.

15. Snores shook the sleepy silence. Providence made her guardian a deep sleeper. An eased open the bedroom door and slipped inside.

16. The kitchen key was stashed in a dresser draw. Next to it lay the pendant. An ached to swipe it. Stupid idea. She grab it all the same.

17. The engraved tree sparkled in the late afternoon light. It was enticing, irresistible. She lifted it to her lips and kissed it tenderly.

18. The snoring halted abruptly. A crude grunt followed, then a shout. "How dare yer, yer filthy brat!" The bed springs groaned ominously.

19. An sprang for the door, slamming it behind her and pelted down the corridor, only to find it led nowhere. To her horror she heard...

20. ... a door slam and heavy feet thudded behind her. Terrified she spun round realising that she was still grasping the pendant in her hand.

21. "That's mine! Give it back! Now!" The crone gripped a poker in her white knuckles. An was cornered. She pressed back against the wall.

22. "Now!" she insisted, raising the blunt instrument above her head. An grasped the pendant in one hand, shielding her head with the other.

23. As the poker swung down An brandished the pendant like a ward in front of her and prayed to be free of the woman. All confusion erupted.

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